Canberra tried hard, but it is severely lacking in the class needed to compete in the NRL.

Josh Papalii played his best game of the year and Paul Vaughan continued his strong season. Acting captain Brett White, playing his final season, showed tremendous guts by playing on despite tearing his groin at kick-off.

"Losing two Origin players last year [Dugan and Blake Ferguson], put us in disarray. We win games this year with those two players in,'' Stuart said.

"We're in a position now we need to rebuild. Every fan, every supporter, they can jam it into us, and they can bag us for what it is.

"Until I get Origin or international players here, around that group of blokes in there and I've got some brilliant young players, it ain't gunna change.''

When Canberra centre Jarrod Croker crossed for his 17th try of the year early in the second half, the Raiders led 16-10.

But then the moment all Raiders fans had been dreaded arrived. Dugan scored from close range after a searching cross-field run from Widdop.

It was all the Dragons after that. Not even the game's biggest hoodoo could save Canberra.